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BMW · NHTSA safety record

2011 BMW 335IS

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 11 safety complaints about the 2011 BMW 335IS with the US government. Of those, no death is recorded. 2 recall campaigns are open against it, covering the air bags and the electrical system.

The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 6 complaints, 55% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 71,000 miles, the median across the 6 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers June 2017 to August 2022 · How this is counted

What is on file

11 complaints on file

11

Complaints

0

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

0

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
ENGINE 6 · 55%
AIR BAGS 3 · 27%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2 · 18%
TIRES 1 · 9%
0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 11.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2017 at 4.

8 6 4 2
17 18 19 22

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2017 to 2022.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2011 BMW 335IS, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test 2 DR RWD C RWD
Overall Not rated Not rated
Frontal crash Not rated Not rated
Frontal, driver Not rated Not rated
Frontal, passenger Not rated Not rated
Side crash Not rated Not rated
Side barrier Not rated Not rated
Side pole Not rated Not rated
Rollover
Chance of rollover 9.3% 9.3%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

2 on file

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

20V017000 · January 15, 2020

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 128i and 135i Convertibles, 128i, 135i, and M Coupes, 2007-2010 X3 30si and X3 xDrive30i, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xDrive and M3 Coupes, 2006-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive and M3, 2009-2011 335D, 2006-2012 325xi, 328i, 328xi and 328i xDrive, 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid, 2007-2013 328i, 335i, 335is, M3 Coupes, X5 30si, X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 48i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M, 2009-2013 X5 xDrive35d and 2008-2014 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6M vehicles equipped with non-desiccated driver frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
The risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver air bag. On X5 and X6 vehicles, only the inflator will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 11, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 59,965 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

17V676000 · October 25, 2017

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi and M3, 2007-2011 328i xDrive, 335i xDrive and 335is and 2009-2011 335d vehicles. The wiring and electrical connectors for the system that controls air flow for the heating and air conditioning system may overheat.
The risk
Wiring that overheats could cause the electrical connectors to melt, and increase the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is unattended.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiring and electrical connectors, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 702,965 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I had the recall repair for the HVAC harness done in 2018, and the recall fix failed in 6/22, I took it into BMW and they determined there was a short, I do not know why a replacement part failed so soon in my eyes after being replaced for a recall. I had to pay $670 to fix this issue from a "free" recall fix, this seems like an issue to me with their replacement harnesses. There are a lot of posts on forums about people having to replace the harness again after the fix. I've never had issues with any wiring on any other car, and sure seems odd that BMW has failures as such. I don't know what can be done by you if anything but I am reaching out because BMW is standing by their 2 yr warranty

NHTSA complaint 11481005, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

54,325 miles

THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP (HPFP) ON THIS MODEL 335IS CONTINUES TO FAIL AFTER TIME. THE N54 MOTOR WAS INITIALLY RELEASED IN 2007-2009 AND THEN REPLACED WITH THE N55. THE HPFP ON THE 2007-2009 MODELS HAVE NOW AN EXTENDED WARRANTY DUE TO HIGH FAILURE RATES. BMW RE-RELEASED THIS ENGINE IN THE 2011-2013 335IS MODELS ONLY, AND THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SAME CONCERN AS THE FIRST SET OF VEHICLES. AT 54K MILES, MY VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 65MPH LOST POWER AND FORCED ME TO DRIVE ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC TO PULL OVER. THE ENGINE COMPUTER STATED "ENGINE LOSS OF POWER, DRIVE WITH CAUTION. IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE. TAKE YOUR VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST BMW SERVICE FACILITY." AT 82K MILES, I

NHTSA complaint 11244508, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

82,000 miles

THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP (HPFP) ON THIS MODEL 335IS CONTINUES TO FAIL AFTER TIME. THE N54 MOTOR WAS INITIALLY RELEASED IN 2007-2009 AND THEN REPLACED WITH THE N55. THE HPFP ON THE 2007-2009 MODELS HAVE NOW AN EXTENDED WARRANTY DUE TO HIGH FAILURE RATES. BMW RE-RELEASED THIS ENGINE IN THE 2011-2013 335IS MODELS ONLY, AND THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SAME CONCERN AS THE FIRST SET OF VEHICLES. AT 54K MILES, MY VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 65MPH LOST POWER AND FORCED ME TO DRIVE ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC TO PULL OVER. THE ENGINE COMPUTER STATED "ENGINE LOSS OF POWER, DRIVE WITH CAUTION. IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE. TAKE YOUR VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST BMW SERVICE FACILITY." AT 82K MILES, I

NHTSA complaint 11244509, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

72,000 miles

WATER PUMP FAILURE OCCURRED AT 72,000 MILES. PART IS A COSTLY REPAIR, AND BMW WILL QUOTE $1800 TO REPLACE. CAR WARNING ON IDRIVE SYSTEM STATED 'ENGINE TOO HOT, PULL OVER AND SHUT ENGINE OFF.' LOSS OF POWER AT POTENTIAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS IS A SAFETY CONCERN.

NHTSA complaint 11120895. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
HEATER BLOWER WIRING RECALL

NHTSA complaint 11090900. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
THE BELT ON MY CAR BROKE OFF AND I HAD MY CAR TOWED INTO THE MECHANIC SHOP. ONCE IT WAS LOOKED AT IT WAS SAID TO HAVE JUMPED TIME AND I HAD AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION THAT IS A RECALL DO TO BMW. MY ENGINE IS NO LONGER WORKING AND I AM LEFT WITH PAYING A CAR NOTE ON A BMW THAT HAS AN ENGINE THAT JUMPED TIME AND NO LONGER WORKING. THIS IS A BMW RECALL AND BMW SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING MY ENGINE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint 11071961. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other 2011 BMW models

328I 577 X5 263 528I 117 535I 112 X3 112 335I 98 550I 84 5 Series 81

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every BMW on this site — 257 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
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